Tractor



' 1,640,621 1927" w. F. SMITH TRACTOR Fil ed Dec. 7 1921 v 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 v 1,640,621 Au g. v w. F SMITH I TRACTOR F-iled Dec. 7 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 2' Aug. 30, 1927. W'F. SMITH TRACTOR Filed Dec. '7. l 1 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 I 1,640,621 1927' w. 1-. SMITH TRACTOR Filed Dec. 7. 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 8m 35% atten tug w. F. SMITH TRACTOR Aug. 1927.

Filed Dec. 7, 1921 6 Sheets-Sheet beyond certain predetermined limits.

: tion lock" and stop for the Wl Patented Aug. 30, 1927.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFF-Ice.

WILLIAM F. SMITH, or BROOKLYN, New Yoax, assreiron one-HA1? To HE MAN A. SCHATZ, or rooenxnnrsm, NEW ,Yo K.

Aaron;

Application filed December 7,1951; seriaif 1e. shite-3.

This invention relates to tractors andmovable wheels the relative vertical displace.

ment of which is effected by' the lowering of one and'raising of the other wheel, or vice versa. f 1

The invention contemplates the use of the tractor motive power for controlling the vertical movements of the wheels and pref erably, the necessary power is obtained through the transmission gearing of the tractor. i

The raising or lowering of a wheel may be selectively controlled by coupling a suit-' able mechanism with the forward or backward driving means of the tractor. The selective control is effected by the simple rocking of a lever, niean's being provided for preventing the displacement of a wheel After e. g, a wheel has been fully raised, the operator cannot apply power further to raise it.

These and other features of the invention will be more clearly understood from the following; description and the I drawings exemplifying a preferred embodiment of the invention. However, the scope of the present invention is not limited to the particular structures disclosed. Various modifications will obviously appear to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the invention defined in the claims. In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a top plan View of the tractor with part ofthecasing broken away; Fig. 2 is a sectional side'view along lines 2--2 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section of the transmission and clutch operating mechanism; Fig. 4 is a'sec tional view of the differential and trans: mission gearing taken along lines 4+4 of Firl; Fig. 5 is a detaillview of the stop control; Fig.6 is a front view of the tractor;

Figs. *5 and 8 are detail views ofthe' combinalitt and clutch control lever and Fig; 9, is a view of the clutch rn'echanisriiTtziken in section along line 90f Fig-'3. 7' The operating mechanism ofthe tractor is supported in acasing'consisting of a'lower hal-f or sumpl, and an upper half2. An internal combustion engine 4; pr'eferably of an aircooled type is provided on top of the casing and operates in the Well kno n manner, a crank-shaft 5'connected-with flywheels 6 The flywheels 6 are secured toashaft 7.

Qne end of the shaft 7 is supported in the front part of thejcasing in a suitable bearing, and a bearing is provided near the other .end of this shaft in a'rib or Wall8pr0- vided in the casing halves forthat purpose. The rear end of shaft 7 carries-thereon a bevelled gear T9 interineshing' with the toothed surfaces of gear wheels 10 and 11 of the'transinission, and is adapted to rotate these gear-whens in' opposite directions. 7 [The gear wheels 10 and 11 are mounted freely to rotate" around the transmission.

shaft 12 supported: in suitable bearings 13' 13 in the casing halves'l'andQ at right angles 'o' h ft; 7; .By meansof'clutche Preferably of the internal expansion type, the motion ofwl' eels 1O arid-11', respectively, may be transmitted to the shaft' l2."

The clutches consist of"brake-'bands 14 and 14 lying against the insidesu'r'faces of flanges 16 and15, respectively, provided'on gear whee'ls f '1O and 11.- The brake-band's are'splitas' shown at 17 and 1'7 and may be expanded to frictionally engage the gear wheel flanges" The'expanding of the brake bands i'sjefiected by arms 18 and 18 held within rectangular recesses in the brake bands. The: brake bandsiare fastened to hub caps'lt) and 19 keyed tovthe shaft 12 by "iiieans of keys 20' and 20 Extensions of the hub-'caps 1 9 and 19 carry loosely mounted thereon grooved collars 21: and 21 which may b'longitudinally displaced thereon. Cam like projections 22 and 22* of collars 21" and 21 may rideover screws 23 and 23 provided in angularlbranches of the The horizontal displacement of the dollars arms lSand l8j whereby the arms will be tilted for the purpose of expanding the 'brakeb'an'ds.

is? controlle d by a rod 30which. as viewed in amavbe'moved upward or dam ward, (t wardsor away from the perator).

movement" of red 7 30' is transmitted to Jiu secured to rod at 32. The other end of lever 31 is pinned to a shaft 33, and the lower end of this shaft is secured in a hub 34 of acentrally pivoted triangular piece 34, the rocking of which is in turn transmittedto connecting links 35 and 36 pivoted to 34 at 37 and 38. The connectinglinks 35 and 36 are connected with the respective clutchesby arms 39 and 40 pivotally connected with'35 and36 at 41 and 42, and carrying at their free ends yokes 24 and 25 engaging the grooves of collars 21 and 21*. The arms 39 and 40 are integral with the, sleeves 46 and slidably mounted on a shaft 26 supported in the upper half 2 of the casing. V

The rotation of shaft 12 is transmitted by a pinion gear 43 keyed thereto, to a gear wheel 50 free to rotate onthe extended bushings 77 and 7 8 secured in the hubs '5252 of the lower half or sump 1 of thecasing by the set screw 3.

The differential consists of the usual inand 54? are freely mounted between brackets connecting the gear wheel 50 with one of its hubs, and the second pair, 53 and 55 are keyed on the shafts 51,.51, said shafts being free to rotate in the core of the bushings 77 and 78. r

Substantially circular plates and 61 are excentrically pivoted on the outward extending endsof bushings 77 and 78, and are held horizontally by the casing and the pinion gears 56, and 57 on the shafts 5151. Tractor wheels 62:2l11d 63 together wit-h bull gears 64 and 65 secured thereto, are supported .in the centre of the circular plates in suitable bearings 66 and 67. Opposite the pivots formed bythe bushings 77 and 78 each plate 60, 61 has a notched projection 68, 69. The notches of projections 68 and 69 are engaged by the ball shaped ends of a lever 70 rotatably mounted on the casing 2 at the point where shaft 7 projects theretln'ough.

Theforked end of an upwardly projecting arm 71 integral with the lever 70 is engaged by flanges 72 of a screw block 73 cooperating with. a screw 74. The screw 74 is rotatably mounted on the upper half 2 of the casing in bearing brackets 75 and 76. The downward extending portion of the screw block 73 fitting in the forked end of the arm 71 prevents the rotation of screw block with the screw 74 whereby, in response to the rotation of screw 74 the block will travel horizontally.- The screw 74 may be rotated by meansof a sprocket wheel mountedthereon and controlled by a chain 81. The chain 81 is driven by a sprocket wheel 82v mounted on shaft 142.

A screw block 131 cooperates .with a screw 132 rotatably mounted on the upper half of casing 2 within a frame 139. The top surface of the screw block 131 engages the upper bar of frame 139 and thereby prevents the rotation of the block with the screw. Stops 135 and 136 provided on a horizontally movable rod 134 may be actuated by finger 133, on the screw block 131 and the displacement of the rod 134 is in turn limited by the stops engaging the bearing blocks 140 and 141 of the frame 139, the rod 134 being slidably mounted inthcse bearing blocks. 7

The screw 132 may be rotated by means of a beveled gear 137 mounted thereon and coo eratin with a bevelled ear 138 in *ing from this. collar are three spirally arranged levers 147, 148 and 149/ Discs 150 and 151 are rotatably mounted on the free .ends of levers 147 and 148 respectively.

The periphery of these discs has an invert ed V shape, registering with the grooves in wheels 144 and'145 and also withV shaped grooves around the gear wheels 10 and 11'" of the transmission. The discs 150 and 151 are normally out of engagement with the grooved wheels but 'when] actuated, will transmit the motion of gear wheel 10 and 11 to the wheels 144 or 145 and thus to the. 3

shaft'142. One end of a rod 152 securedto the lever 149, and the other end to guide rod 134. The free end of l ver 149 has pivoted thereto a rod 153.

The operator guides the tractor by means 105 of the handlebars and 161 (Figs. 1 and 7) fastened to the rear of the tractor and held together by a brace 162. Two levers 163 and 164 are pivoted to the brace 162 at 165 and 166, and pivoted to these levers 1'64 and 163. The construction of 155 and 156 makes it possible for the rods 30 and 153 to be drawn towards the operator only when the locks and stops are in the left- Fig. 8, and pushed away from the operator only when the locks and stops are in the right-hand tilted position indicated ind-otted lines, and where the locks and stops are the rods 30 and 153 cannot be moved.

Attention is called to the manner in which the various parts of the tractor are distributed to insure proper balancing. The tractor I tion like 156, (Fig. 8) provided on levers hand position indicated in dotted lines in in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 8' 1:53

wheels are mounted in substantial alinement Wt The band 14,

therefore be rotated with the gear 10 me.

{with the centre lincof tlie'trac-tor. Inthe front-half are mounted the motor, crank shaft, flywheels and one part of the wheel lift control, and in the rear half the trans mission, differential and the other part of thewheel lift control.

The required vertical displacement of the tractor wheels is accomplished-by the simultaneous lowering of one and the raising of the other wheel whereby the controlling mechanism .may be confined within lesser space than would be required if the wheels were independently lifted and lowered.

lVith a similar object in. View, the bellcrank connection for controllingthe clutches isarranged to provide a common clutch operating mechanism adapted successively to actuate the clutches. Due to this arrangement, the lateral space required for shifting the clutches is reduced to a minimum.

0pemtz'0ns.-The motor 4 is started in the well-known manner and causes the shaft 7 to. revolve.

the agency of gear 9, wheel 11 r'otatingin a clockwise and wheel 10 in a counter clockwise direction.

If the operator desires to drive in a forward direction, he will tilt the combination lock and stop 155 into'the righthand position illustrated in dotted line's-in Fig. 8 and'then grasp the handle 157 and push it forward. This rotates the lever 164' in a counter clockwise directiomwh'ereby the rod 30 ispushed away from the operator. The bar 30 pushes thelever 31 with it, and the latter in turn rotates the triangular piece 34 in acounter clockwise direction. 'Looking at the structure as shown in Fig. '3,t'he movement impartecl 'to the connecting link 36 is transmitted through arm 40 and yoke '25 to the collar21, causing the cam shaped projection 22 to move outward and away from the screw v Onthe other hand, the arm 39, andyoke 24 are pulled to the right andthe latter forces the collar 21 toen ga'ge with its oamshaped projectioir 212 the screw 23 The arm18 is tilted to spread the brake band 14 apart andinto frictional engagement withthe flange 1510f gear 10. hub 19 and shaft 12' will counter clockwise direction.-

The pinion 43 transmits this-motion to gear 50, and the latter togethe'r with differential shaft 51' and the gears 56 and 57 carried at the ends thereof are rotated in" a clockwise direction. The gears-56 and 57 drivethe gears 64 and 65 andthe' attached tractor wheels62 and 63 in'a counterclockwise direction, whereby the tractor'is'moved forward.

If the operator. desires to move backward, he must rotate the lever 164,in opposite direction, which, due 'to the engage- The rotation of the shaft is transmitted to gear wheels 10 and 11 through a the tractor I an ular 'iece 34 is movin intoits normal ..P- b position as shown in F 1g; 3, the connectlng link 35 and arm" 39 will push the collar 21 away from gear10, but the downward move ment of lever 36will move the collar 21 toward gear "11 into the position shown-in the drawing which is the neutral position,

NVhe i collar 21 disengages the screw 23, due to the resiliency of the brake-band 14*, the arm .18 is righted. The frictional engagement between'14 and 15 ceases, and the movement of gear 10 is no more transmitted to shaft. 12. v I V During the further rotation of 34, the above described operations are repeated.

However, in'the present case, the collar 21 is ,moved outward and the collar 21 is moved toward-gear 11. Through the associated clutch mechanism, the clockwise rotation of" the gear 11 is transmitted to shaft 12, and through the transmission shaft to the tractor wheels tocause thebackward movement of the tractor.

lVhe 'el Z'z'ft'z'ng.1fit' isdesired to raise the wheel 62'and lower wheel 63, the operator pulls towardhim the lever 163'by means of handle 159', after having thrown the comb'inationlock and stop 158 into the righthan'dp'ositionjshownin'dotted lines, for 155, in Fig. 8'. The bar 163 pulls the -'rod' 153 toward the operator andthe latter rotates the lever 149 in manner to move friction disc 150 between gear 10 andwheel 144, and the disc 151"a'wa'y from gear 11 and wheel 145. The rotation of gear 10 is,there-- fo're, transmitted through disc 150 to wheel 144' and-'thelatte'r rotates the shaft 142, and

the sprocket 82 and bevelled gear 138 carriedt-hereby in a counter clockwise direction.

Through the chain 81,and sprocket wheel I 80, the sprocket wheel 82 causes the counter clockwise rotationof the screw threaded shaft 74; The rotation of screw 74 causes the block 73 to travel toward the left, in

Fig-3. By means of the arm 71, the block 73 rotates'the lever 70 in a counter clockwise -direction," whereby the plates 60 and 61 ed on plates 60 and 6l,*wheel62 will be raised and-wheel 63 will'be' lowered from its nornial position. v "The opposite-effect is'atta'ned if the bar 153 is p'us di jgfy from the operator. The

Lil

lever during "n the wheels and that aws 68 and 69, throughthe agency of which such coupling is effect l,'need not be of excessive length to prevent the slipping out of the rotation. This is so because normally the lever is at an angle tothe horizontal (see Fig. 6), and its rotation to cause a relatiievei'tical displacement of the wheels will result in a lesser horizontal displacement of the lever if we ends than started with the lever in a horizontal position'. I p

The movement of the blocl: 7 3 is confined within the predetermined limits by auto matically operating means that prevent the operator from continuin to force the block forward or backward after itreached its predetermined linal position.

Due to the rotation of the shaft 142,-the bevelled gear 138 may be made to rotate in aclockwise or counter clockwise direction. lhe motion of gear 138 is transmitted through gear 137 to the screw threaded shaft 132. F or this reason, simultaneously with the movement of block 73 the block 131 is caused to travel between stops 135 and 136. When the blozk 73 is nearing the limit of its movement, the ringer 133 on the block 131 will have moved'the stop 136 into engageinent with 1 11. The bar 134: is displaced from right to left (Fig. 5), and moves arm 152 to rock the lever 14l9'backward (Fig. This removes the friction disc 150 from between gear 10 and wheel 1&4, and the power transmission to screw Tet ceases. At the same time, the lever 149 pulls the rod 153 and lever 163 away from the operator until lever 163 is-stopped by the combination lock and stop.

When the guide rod 13a is moved in a right-hand direction due tothe stop 135 being forced against 1.40 (this will occur when block 73 is in'its extreme right-hand position) the arm 152 causes the rocking of lever 146) in the opposite direction. In this case, the disc 151 will be moved from its actuated into its normal position, and the rod 153 and lover 163 pulled toward the operatoruntil arrested by the combination lock and stop.

What I claim is V 1. In a-tractor, a motor shaft, two wheels, supports for said wheels,.means for connecting said wheels with said shafttoeause their rotation forward or backward direc= ling said selective means.

tion, a three armed lever, a screw, a screw block mounted thereon and engaging one arm of said lever the other two arms engaging the supports for said wheels, and a driving connection between said shaft and screw.

2. In a tractor, two wheels, forward and backward driving means therefor, mechanism controlled by the forward ClllVlilg means for raising one wheel, and mechanism controlled by the backward driving means for controlled by the forward driving means for -12L1S1I1g one and lowering the other wheel, and means controlled by the backward driving means for lowering said one and raising said other wheel.

5; In a tractor, two wheels, forward and backward driving means therefor, means controlled .by the forward, driving means for simultaneously raising one and lowering the other wheel, and means controlled by the backward driving means for simultane- G. In a motor driven tractor, two wheels,

two oppositely. rotating gears for driving,

said wheels forward and backward, mechanism for raising and lowering said wheels and selectively operable means for transmitting power to said mechanism from either one of said gears.

7. In a motor driven tractor, two wheels, two oppositely rotating gears for driving said wheels forward and backward, mecha nism for raising and lowering said wheels, selective means operable at will for transmitting, power to said mechanism from either one of said gears, and automatic means controlled by said mechanism for control- 8. In a motor driven tractor, two wheels,

two oppositely rotating gears for driving said wheels forward and backward, ascrew threaded shaft having acooperating screw block, selectively operable mechanism for transmitting the'rotation of one or the other gear to said shaft, means responsive to the traveling of saidsci'ew block in one direction for raising one and lowering the other wheel, and means responsive to the traveling of said screw block in the opposite direction for lowering said one and raising said other wheel.

I 9. In a tractor, a motor shaft, two wheels.

means for connecting said wheels with said shaft, three arined lever, a screw, screw ously lowering said one and raising said. other wheel.

)(iii screw, and automatic means for rendering said if iving coniiecton's inoperative; I

in a tllCtOi, motor shaft, two

wheels,- means in'cludiit-goppositely rotating gear wheels. fortransmittingthe rotation of said shaft to said wheels in a forward or" backward direction, a lever, means for causing said lever to travel in one direction un der the control ofone gear wheel, means-for causing said lever to trave in' thev opposite direction under the control-of another gear Lil wheel, means responsive to the travel of said lever in said one direction for raising one and lowering the other wheel, means re sponsive to the travel of said lever i'n the oppositedi'rection for lowering said ne and raising the other wheel, two stops-for limiting the travel of said lever, and means responsive to the actuation of said stopsfor removing said lever'from under the control of said gear wheels, 7

11. In a motor driven two oppositely rotating transmission gear wheels, a shaft, two friction wheels secured to said shaft, two freely rotating friction discs, two screw thread ed shafts having cooperating screw blocks, means-controlled by said shafts for rotating said screw threaded shaft, means responsive to the traveling of said screwblocks in one direction for raising one and lowering the other wheel, means responsive to the travelingof said screw blocks in the opposite direction for lowering said one'and raisingsaid other wheel, means operable at will for interposing one of said discs between a friction and a gear wheel or the other disc between the otherfriction and the other gear wheel, and automatic means controlled byone of said screw blocks for controlling the moving of said discs.

12. In a tractor, a motor driven transmission shaft, two rotatably mounted plates, a wheel mounted on each plate,two oppositely rotating gears on said shaft, means for transmitting the rotationf of said. gears to said wheels, a second shaft, a bevelled gear, a sprocket wheel and two friction wheels secured to said secondshaft, a freely rotating collar mounted on said second shaft,-three spirallyvdisplaced levers projecting from said collar, a freely rotating friction disc carried by each one of two of said levers, two screw threaded shafts having cooperating'screw blocks, means controlled by said sprocket wheel for rotating one and means controlled by the bevelled gear for rotating the other screw threaded shaft, a lever controlled by one of said screw blocks engaging said plates, means responsive to the traveling of said one of said tractor two wheels.

screw blocksto-rotate said lever, means opera 'ea will for rotating said colla'rin one directionto move one disc 'to'eng'age a fricti'on and a gear wheel and iirtli'e opposite direction for moving the other die to en's gage the other friction and other" gear wheel, movable stops for limiting the displacement of the other screw block, and a lever controlling said collarv actuated by said stops. y

In a motordriven' tractor,two wheels, two oppositelyrot'ating' gears for driving said; wheels forward and backward, va second shaft", tw'o friction wheels secured to said second shaft, a freely rotatingcolla'r mountedfon said 'second'shaft, two spirally displaced levers projecting from said collar,"a freely rotating friction disc, carried by each one of said levers,two screw threaded" shafts having cooperating screw blocks, means controlled vby said second shaftfor rotating saidscrew threaded" shafts, means responsive-to the traveling of one of said screw blocks in one direction for raising one andfloweri'ng the other wheehnieans responsive to' the" traveling of said one of said screw blocks inthe opposite-direction for' loweringsaid one and raising said other wheel, means operable at will for rotating said collar in one direction to move one disc to engage a friction and a gear wheel and in the opposite directi'onfor moving the other disc to engage the other friction and other gear wheel, movable stops for limiting the displacement of the other screw block, and.

a lever controlling said collar actuated by said stops. 7

' '14. In a tractor, a motor driven transmission shaft, two wheels, two oppositely rotating gear wheels on said shaft, V shaped grooves around the peripheries of said' wheels, a second shaft, a bevelled gear, a sprocket wheel and two friction wheels secured to said second shaft, a freely rot-ating collar mounted on said second shaft, V shaped grooves around the peripheries of said friction wheels, three spirally dis-- placed levers projecting from said collar, a freely rotating friction disc having an inverted V shaped rim carried by each one of two of said levers, two screw threaded shafts having cooperating screw blocks,

means controlled by said sprocket whee-l for, rotating one and means controlled by the bevelled gear for rotating the other screw threaded shaft, means responsive to the traveling of said screw blocks in one direction for raising one and lowering the other wheel, means responsive to the traveling of said screw blocksin the opposite direction for lowering said one and raising said other wheel, means operable at will for rotating said collar by means of its third lever in one direction to move one disc to engage with its rim the grooves of a friction and a iio iii

gear wheel and in the opposite directionfor moving the other disc to engage with its rim the grooves of the other friction and the other gear wheel, movable stops for limiting the displacement of one of said pinion and two clutches, a driving shaft mounted in the rear part of the casing parallel with second shaft, a g'earwheel cooperating with said pinion and difierential gearing carried by said driving shaft, two

plates ea'ch ex centrically fulcrumed around the ends of the driving shaftoutside of said casing, a wheel rotatably mounted on each plate substantially in alinement with the centre line of the casing, driving connections between the ends of said driving shaft and the wheels, a lever fulcrumed on the front end of said casing around said oneend of said motor shaft, a fulcrum connection between each end of said lever and a plate, screw threaded means for rotating said lever mounted on said casing above said lever, and an operating shaft'for said screw threaded means mounted in said cas ing" above said second shaft.

16. In a tractor, two wheels, two members upon which said wheels are jo'urn'aled, a motor driven shaft for rotating said members around a common axis, fulcrum points around which said members may be bodily rotated, and a lever loosely engaging saidmotor driven shaft, a. gear wheel at each end of said shaft engaging a wheel at a circumferential point, motor driven mechanism, for vertically displacing one of said wheels with respect to the other, acentrally pivoted lever having free ends loosely engaging said two members at different points of their periphery whereby, in the normal position of the wheels, the lever is at an angle to the horizontal, and means controlled by said mechanism for rotating' said lever to raise one and lower the otherwheel. a

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, this 6th day of December 1921. v

' WILLIAM F. SMITH. 

